Semiconductor device and semiconductor system including the same

ABSTRACT

A semiconductor device includes an internal circuit configured to perform a specified operation in response to a predetermined command; a normal data input/output section configured to input/output a normal data synchronized with a center of a source clock, in response to data input/output commands; and a data recovery information signal input/output block configured to receive and store a data recovery information signal synchronized with an edge of the source clock and having a predetermined pattern, in response to either a command of the data input/output commands or the predetermined command upon entry to a data recovery operating mode, and to output the data recovery information signal after the passage of a predetermined time period.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority of Korean Patent Application No.10-2009-0133039, filed on Dec. 29, 2009, which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to semiconductordesign technology, and more particularly, to a semiconductor device andmethod for correcting a write clock and write data.

In a system composed of a plurality of semiconductor elements, asemiconductor device functions to store data. If a data processingdevice, for example, a memory control unit (MCU) requests data, thesemiconductor device outputs the data corresponding to the addressinputted from the device which requests the data, or stores the dataprovided from the device which requests the data, to a positioncorresponding to the address.

While data is being inputted/outputted between the data processingdevice and the semiconductor device, if the operating temperature or theoperating power of a semiconductor system changes, the phase of the datainputted/outputted between the data processing device and thesemiconductor device may vary.

In more detail, it is the norm that the data inputted/outputted betweenthe data processing device and the semiconductor device isinputted/outputted by being synchronized with a clock for transmittingdata. In this regard, while the data is being inputted/outputted betweenthe data processing device and the semiconductor device, if theoperating temperature or the operating power of a semiconductor systemchanges, the phase of the data inputted/outputted between the dataprocessing device and the semiconductor device and the phase of theclock for transmitting data are likely to be mismatched so that datahaving a phase different from that of the initially transmitted data maybe inputted/outputted. Due to this fact, a problem can be caused in thatthe data inputted/outputted between the data processing device and thesemiconductor device is likely to be recognized in such a state that itleads or lags by one cycle in comparison with a desired state. That isto say, normal data transmission may be impossible.

For example, describing a procedure of transmitting data from the dataprocessing device to the semiconductor device, the data is transmittedtoward the semiconductor device by being synchronized with the center ofthe clock for transmitting data in the data processing device. In thisregard, while transmitting the data, if the operating temperature or theoperating power of a semiconductor system changes, the phase of the datamay vary so as to be mismatched with the phase of the clock fortransmitting data. Due to this fact, the data transmitted from thesemiconductor device may not be synchronized with the center of theclock for transmitting data and may fluctuate to some extent so as toeither lead or lag. Consequently, a problem can be caused in that thedata inputted/outputted between the data processing device and thesemiconductor device is likely to be recognized in such a state that itleads or lags by one cycle in comparison with a desired state.

The problem may become more serious as the transmission frequency of thedata inputted/outputted between the data processing device and thesemiconductor device increases. That is to say, as the transmissionfrequency of the data inputted/outputted between the data processingdevice and the semiconductor device increases, the window length of thedata to be transmitted becomes very short. Therefore, if a phenomenon,in which the operating temperature or the operating power of asemiconductor system changes, the data inputted/outputted between thedata processing device and the semiconductor device is likely to berecognized in such a state that it leads or lags by one cycle incomparison with a desired state.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the present invention is directed to a semiconductordevice and an operating method thereof, which can allow data to bealways stably inputted/outputted between a semiconductor devicecontroller and the semiconductor device, irrespective of a variation inthe phase of the data due to the operating temperature or the operatingpower of a semiconductor system changing when data is inputted/outputtedbetween the semiconductor device controller and the semiconductordevice.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, asemiconductor device includes: an internal circuit configured to performa specified operation in response to a predetermined command; a normaldata input/output section configured to input/output normal datasynchronized with a center of a source dock, in response to datainput/output commands; and a data recovery information signalinput/output block configured to receive and store a data recoveryinformation signal synchronized with an edge of the source clock andhaving a predetermined pattern, in response to either a command of thedata input/output commands or the predetermined command upon entry to adata recovery operating mode, and to output the data recoveryinformation signal after passage of a predetermined period of time.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, asemiconductor device includes: an internal circuit configured to performa specified operation in response to a predetermined command; a normaldata input/output section configured to input/output normal datasynchronized with a center of a data clock, from input time of datainput/output commands to data input/output time in synchronism with asystem clock; and a data recovery information signal input/output blockconfigured to receive and store a data recovery information signalsynchronized with an edge of the data clock and having a predeterminedpattern, at a recovery information input time at the same time as thedata input time in response to either a command of the data input/outputcommands or the predetermined command upon entry to a data recoveryoperating mode, and to output the stored data recovery informationsignal at recovery information output time after the passage of apredetermined time period determined in response to the data clock.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a methodfor operating a semiconductor device includes: receiving normal datasynchronized with a center of a source clock, in response to a datainput command; and receiving and storing a data recovery informationsignal synchronized with an edge of the source clock and having apredetermined pattern, in response to either a command of the data inputcommand, a data output command or a predetermined command, andoutputting the data recovery information signal after the passage of apredetermined time period.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a methodfor operating a semiconductor device includes: receiving normal datasynchronized with a center of a data clock, from an input time of a datainput command to a data input time in synchronism with a system clock;and receiving and storing a data recovery information signalsynchronized with an edge of the data clock and having a predeterminedpattern, at recovery information input time at the same time as the datainput time in response to either a command of the data input command, adata output command or a predetermined command, and outputting storeddata recovery information signal at a recovery information output timecorresponding to after the passage of a predetermined time perioddetermined in response to the data clock.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a methodfor operating a semiconductor system including a semiconductor deviceand a semiconductor device controller includes: transferring a datainput command from the semiconductor device controller to thesemiconductor device, and transferring normal data synchronized with acenter of a source clock after the passage of a first predetermined timeperiod and changed in its phase in correspondence with a feedback datarecovery information signal; transferring either a command of the datainput command, a data output command or a predetermined command from thesemiconductor device controller to the semiconductor device,transferring a data recovery information signal synchronized with anedge of the source clock and having a predetermined pattern, after thepassage of the first predetermined time period, and storing the datarecovery information signal in the semiconductor device; andtransferring stored data recovery information signal as the feedbackdata recovery information signal from the semiconductor device to thesemiconductor device controller, after the passage of a secondpredetermined time period after the data recovery information signal hasbeen stored in the semiconductor device.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a methodfor operating a semiconductor system including a semiconductor deviceand a semiconductor device controller includes: transferring a datainput command from the semiconductor device controller to thesemiconductor device, and transferring normal data synchronized with acenter of a data clock after the passage of a first predetermined timeperiod in synchronism with a system clock and changed in phase incorrespondence with a feedback data recovery information signal;transferring either a command of the data input command, a data outputcommand or a predetermined command from the semiconductor devicecontroller to the semiconductor device, transferring a data recoveryinformation signal synchronized with an edge of the data clock andhaving a predetermined pattern, after the passage of the firstpredetermined time period, and storing the data recovery informationsignal in the semiconductor device; and transferring stored datarecovery information signal as the feedback data recovery informationsignal from the semiconductor device to the semiconductor devicecontroller, after the passage of a second predetermined time period insynchronism with the data clock, after the data recovery informationsignal has been stored in the semiconductor device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating in detail a semiconductor devicein accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a semiconductor system includingthe semiconductor device shown in FIG. 1, in accordance with anotherembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a time diagram of the semiconductor device forinputting/outputting a data recovery information signal in a data writeoperating mode in accordance with the embodiment of the presentinvention, shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a time diagram of the semiconductor device forinputting/outputting a data recovery information signal in one of a dataread operating mode and a predetermined internal operating mode inaccordance with the embodiment of the present invention, shown in FIG.1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described below inmore detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The presentinvention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not beconstrued as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather,these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thoroughand complete, and will fully convey the scope of the present inventionto those skilled in the art. Throughout the disclosure, like referencenumerals refer to like parts throughout the various drawing figures andembodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating in detail a semiconductor devicein accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a semiconductor device in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention includes an internal circuit 10configured to perform a predetermined operation in response to apredetermined command OTHER_CMD, a normal data input/output section 11configured to input/output normal data NORMAL_DATA that is synchronizedwith the center of a source clock SOURCE_CLK, in response to datainput/output commands READ_CMD/WRITE_CMD, and a data recoveryinformation signal input/output block 100 configured to receive a datarecovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG that is synchronized withthe edge of the source clock SOURCE_CLK in response to the predeterminedcommand OTHER_CMD upon entry into a data recovery operating mode, and tothen output the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG afterthe passage of a predetermined time period tWCDRL.

For reference, the data recovery information signal input/output block100 receives and outputs the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG during entry into the data recovery operating mode ofthe semiconductor memory device. The entry into the data recoveryoperating mode indicates that a data recovery operating enable signalWCDR_ENABLE has been activated. While not directly shown in thedrawings, in the following descriptions, a data recovery operating modewill be referred to as WCDR_MODE, and the entry into the data recoveryoperating mode will be referred to as WCDR_MODE_ENTRY. The activationtime, the inactivation time, and the length of an activation interval ofthe data recovery operating enable signal WCDR_ENABLE are set in advancein a memory register set (MRS) 15. While the predetermined commandOTHER_CMD may include various operating mode commands of a semiconductordevice as well as the data input/output commands READ_CMD/WRITE_CMD, ina particular example, the predetermined command OTHER_CMD may include anauto refresh operating mode entry command, which is one of operatingmodes that uses the most power in a semiconductor device, or a standbyoperating mode entry command, which is one of the operating modes thatuse the least power in a semiconductor device.

Describing in further detail the configuration of the data recoveryinformation signal input/output block 100, which is among the componentelements of the semiconductor device in accordance with this embodimentof the present invention, the data recovery information signalinput/output block 100 includes a recovery information input/outputcontrol unit 120 configured to generate an internal input strobe signalWCDR_STROBE in correspondence with an internal input point in time ofthe data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and an internaloutput strobe signal DATAOUT_STROBE in correspondence with an outputtime of the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG inresponse to the predetermined command OTHER_CMD and the source clockSOURCE_CLK, a data recovery information input/output unit 140 configuredto input/output the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIGthrough a predetermined pad and a data recovery information storage unit160 configured to store the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG for the predetermined time period in response to theinternal input strobe signal WCDR_STROBE and the internal output strobesignal DATAOUT_STROBE.

For reference, both the data input/output pad 13 and the WCDRinput/output pad 146 may be used as the preselected pad 13 or 146 inthat a pad for inputting/outputting the normal data NORMAL_DATA and apad for inputting/outputting the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG may be shared, depending upon a design of thesemiconductor device.

First, in a conventional semiconductor device, pads are divided into acommand input pad 12 configured to receive the data input/outputcommands READ_CMD/WRITE_CMD and the predetermined command OTHER_CMD, thedata input/output pad 13 configured to input/output the normal dataNORMAL_DATA, and a data recovery information input/output pad 146configured to input/output the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG, such that only the normal data NORMAL_DATA may beinputted/outputted through the data input/output pad 13, and only thedata recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG may beinputted/outputted through the data recovery information input/outputpad 146.

In a semiconductor device in which the number of pads is insufficientand is therefore not possible to have pads dedicated for theinput/output of the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG,pads are divided into the command input pad configured to receive thedata input/output commands READ_CMD/WRITE_CMD and the predeterminedcommand OTHER_CMD, and the data input/output pad 13 configured toinput/output the normal data NORMAL_DATA and the data recoveryinformation signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG, such that the normal dataNORMAL_DATA may be inputted/outputted through the data input/output pad13 in a data input/output operating mode READ/WRITE_MODE, and the datarecovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG may be inputted/outputtedthrough the data input/output pad 13 in a data recovery operating modeWCDR_MODE in which the normal data NORMAL_DATA is not directlyinputted/outputted.

Among the component elements of the data recovery information signalinput/output block 100 in accordance with this embodiment of the presentinvention, the recovery information input/output control unit 120includes a recovery information input control section 122 configured tocount a number of toggling times of the source clock SOURCE_CLK inresponse to the predetermined command OTHER_CMD to toggle the recoveryinformation input strobe signal input time during the activationinterval of the data recovery operating enable signal WCDR_ENABLE and arecovery information output control section 124 configured to count anumber of toggling times of the source clock SOURCE_CLK in response tothe toggling the internal input strobe signal WCDR_STROBE to toggle theof the internal output strobe signal DATAOUT_STROBE during theactivation interval of the data recovery operating enable signalWCDR_ENABLE.

The recovery information input control section 122 includes a commanddecoder 1222 configured to generate a data recovery operating commandWCDR_CMD in response to the predetermined command OTHER_CMD during theactivation interval of the data recovery operating enable signalWCDR_ENABLE, and a recovery information input counter 1224 configured tocount the source clock SOURCE_CLK for a time corresponding to a writelatency signal WL in response to the data recovery operating commandWCDR_CMD during the activation interval of the data recovery operatingenable signal WCDR_ENABLE and to determine the toggling time of aninternal input strobe signal WCDR_STROBE corresponding to the internalinput point in time of the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG.

The recovery information output control section 124 counts the sourceclock SOURCE_CLK for a time period corresponding to a data recoveryinformation latency signal WCDRL WCDR latency in response to thetoggling of the internal input strobe signal WCDR_STROBE during theactivation time interval of the data recovery operating enable signalWCDR_ENABLE and determines the toggling time of the internal outputstrobe signal DATAOUT_STROBE corresponding to the internal output pointin time of the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG.

At this time, the toggling time of the internal input strobe signalWCDR_STROBE, determined by the recovery information input counter 1224of the recovery information input control unit 122, is controlled tocorrespond not to the input start time of the inputted data recoveryinformation signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG to the semiconductor device but tothe input end time of the inputted data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG to the semiconductor device.

That is, the internal input point in of the time data recoveryinformation signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG is not the input start time of thedata recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG to the semiconductordevice but the input end time of the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG to the semiconductor device.

When the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG is amultiple-bit signal, the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG should be stared in the data recovery informationstorage unit 160 after all of the bits thereof have been inputted.

For example, if the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIGis a signal composed of a relatively large number of bits, then a timedifference between the input time of a first bit of the data recoveryinformation signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and the input time of the last bitof data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG becomes relativelylarge, and if the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG isa signal composed of a relatively small number of bits, then a timedifference between the input time of the first bit of the data recoveryinformation signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and the input time of the last bitof the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG becomesrelatively small.

For reference, because the burst length (BL) of a data signal is thenumber of bits of continuously inputted data signals, the timedifference between the input start time and the internal input point intime of the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG variesaccording to the burst length (BL) of the data recovery informationsignal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG.

Furthermore, in this embodiment of the present invention, the burstlength (BL) of the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIGand the burst length (BL) of the normal data NORMAL_DATA are set to bethe same. Therefore, since the burst length (BL) of the normal dataNORMAL_DATA is synchronized with the period tck of the source clockSOURCE_CLK, the burst length (BL) of the data recovery informationsignal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG is also synchronized with the period tck of thesource clock SOURCE_CLK.

Further, in this embodiment of the present invention, the normal dataNORMAL_DATA and the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIGare set to be supplied at the same time. That is to say, the time fromthe time at which the data input command WRITE_CMD is inputted to thetime at which the normal data NORMAL_DATA is inputted and the time fromthe time at which the predetermined command OTHER_CMD is inputted to thetime at which the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG isinputted are set to be the same.

At this time, since the predetermined command OTHER_CMD includes thedata input command WRITE_CMD, the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG is set to be supplied at the same time when the normaldata NORMAL_DATA is not inputted.

That is to say, the time from the time at which the data input commandWRITE_CMD is inputted to the time at which the data recovery informationsignal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG is inputted and the time from the time at whicha rest of command except for the data input command WRITE_CMD among thepredetermined command OTHER_CMD is inputted to the time at which thedata recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG is inputted are setto be the same.

For reference, the value of a write latency signal WL is stored in thememory register set (MRS) 15 of the semiconductor device. The value ofthe write latency signal WL is equal to the time interval that the datainput command WRITE_CMD and the normal data NORMAL_DATA are to beinputted, and serves as a specification that is essentially included ina semiconductor device.

Accordingly, in this embodiment of the present invention, it is to beunderstood that the time at which the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG is supplied to the semiconductor device is determinedin correspondence with the value of the write latency signal WL storedin the memory register set (MRS) 15.

Thus, it is necessary to supply the write latency signal WL to therecovery information input counter 1224 which generates the internalinput strobe signal WCDR_STROBE for defining the time at which the datarecovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG is actually stored, so asto specify at which time the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG is inputted to the semiconductor device, such that itis possible to toggle the internal input strobe signal WCDR_STROBE atthe time at which all of the bits of the data recovery informationsignal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG are inputted.

The recovery information input counter 1224 performs the countingoperation for the period tck of the source clock SOURCE_CLK incorrespondence with the write latency signal WL, and the burst length(BL) of the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG as anadditional time is determined in correspondence with the period tck ofthe source clock SOURCE_CLK. Thus, the toggling time of the internalinput strobe signal WCDR_STROBE outputted by the recovery informationinput counter 1224 is synchronized with the source clock SOURCE_CLK aswell.

Also, the recovery information output control unit 124 performs thecounting operation for the period tck of the source clock SOURCE_CLK incorrespondence with the data recovery information latency signal WCDRLafter the internal input strobe signal WCDR_STROBE toggles, such thatthe toggling time of the internal output strobe signal DATAOUT_STROBE isdetermined. Thus, the toggling time of the internal output strobe signalDATAOUT_STROBE outputted by the recovery information output control unit124 is synchronized with the source clock SOURCE_CLK as well.

Similar to the value of the write latency signal WL, the value of thedata recovery information latency signal WCDRL is set in advance in thememory register set (MRS) 15. However, unlike the write latency signalWL, the data recovery information latency signal WCDRL is newly definedfor this embodiment of the present invention.

Accordingly, the value of the data recovery information latency signalWCDRL may be changed by a designer, and a time period tWCDR that haselapsed after the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG hasbeen inputted and stored until the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG has been outputted again is a parameter that istotally determined by the desire of the designer.

Among the component elements of the data recovery informationinput/output block 100 in accordance with this embodiment of the presentinvention, the data recovery information input/output unit 140 includesa data recovery information input section 142 configured to buffer thedata recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG serially suppliedthrough the preselected pad 13 or 146 during the activation interval ofthe data recovery operating enable signal WCDR_ENABLE as a buffered datarecovery information signal BUF_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and to parallelize abuffered data recovery information signal BUF_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG insynchronism with the source clock SOURCE_CLK as a parallelized datarecovery information signal PARALLEL_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG, and a datarecovery information output section 144 configured to output a saveddata recovery information signal OUTPUT_PARALLEL_DATA_RECOVERY_SIGprovided from the data recovery information storage unit 160 through thepreselected pad 13 or 146 in synchronism with the source clockSOURCE_CLK.

The data recovery information input section 142 includes a data recoveryinformation input buffer 1422 configured to buffer the data recoveryinformation signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG serially supplied through thepreselected pad 13 or 146 during the activation time interval of thedata recovery operating enable signal WCDR_ENABLE as the buffered datarecovery information signal BUF_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG, and a data recoveryinformation parallelizing part 1424 configured to parallelize the outputsignal of the data recovery information input buffer 1422 in synchronismwith the source clock SOURCE_CLK as the parallelized data recoveryinformation signal PARALLEL_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG.

While the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG isexpressed as being serially supplied to the data recovery informationinput buffer 1422, this is because the number of bits of the datarecovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG is determined incorrespondence with the burst length of the normal data NORMAL_DATA. Inother words, in a general semiconductor device, since a scheme in whicha specified burst length is determined when receiving the normal dataNORMAL_DATA and the number of bits of the normal data NORMAL_DATAcorresponding to the specified burst length is serially inputted, ismainly adopted, the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIGwhich must have the same number of bits as that of the normal dataNORMAL_DATA to be serially inputted with the number of bitscorresponding to the burst length.

Further, since the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG isserially inputted with the number of bits corresponding to the burstlength of the normal data NORMAL_DATA, in order to allow the datarecovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG to be easily stored in thedata recovery information storage unit 160, it is necessary toparallelize the buffered data recovery information signalBUF_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG in correspondence with the source clock SOURCE_CLKin the data recovery information parallelizing part 1424 as theparallelized data recovery information signalPARALLEL_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG.

The data recovery information output section 144 synchronizes the datarecovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG stored in the datarecovery information storage unit 160 with the source clock SOURCE_CLKand to serially output synchronized data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG through the predetermined pad 13 or 146.

Among the component elements of the data recovery information signalinput/output block 100 in accordance with this embodiment of the presentinvention, the data recovery information storage unit 160 may be dividedinto two types as described below.

A first type of the data recovery information storage unit 160 includesan input storage section 162 configured to simultaneously store theparallelized data recovery information signal PARALLEL_DATA_RECOVERY_SIGinputted in parallel through the data recovery information input part142 at the internal input point in time of the data recovery informationsignal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG that corresponds to the toggling time of theinternal input strobe signal WCDR_STROBE, and an output storage section164 configured to serially provide a saved parallelized data recoveryinformation signal SAV_PARALLEL_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG stored through theinput storage section 162 at the internal output point in time of thedata recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG that corresponds tothe toggling time of the internal output strobe signal DATAOUT_STROBE,to the data recovery information output section 144.

A second type of the data recovery information storage unit 160 includesan input storage section 162 configured to simultaneously store theparallelized data recovery information signal PARALLEL_DATA_RECOVERY_SIGinputted in parallel through the data recovery information input part142 at the internal input point in time of the data recovery informationsignal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG that corresponds to the toggling time of theinternal input strobe signal WCDR_STROBE, and an output storage section164 configured to serially provide a preset preamble data PREAMBLE DATAto the data recovery information output section 144 at the output timeof the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG thatcorresponds to the toggling time of the internal output strobe signalDATAOUT_STROBE and then serially provide the saved parallelized recoveryinformation signal SAV_PARALLEL_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG transferred from theinput storage section 162 to the data recovery information outputsection 144 as a signal OUTPUT_PARALLELL_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG.

As described above, the data recovery information storage unit 160 inaccordance with this embodiment of the present invention is divided intotwo types. In the first type, the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG supplied through the data recovery information inputpart 142 is stored and outputted as is after the predetermined timeperiod tWCDRL has elapsed, and in the second type, the data recoveryinformation signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG supplied through the data recoveryinformation input part 142 is stored and outputted along with thepreamble data PREAMBLE DATA after the predetermined time period tWCDRLhas elapsed.

Namely, the recovery information storage unit 160 in accordance withthis embodiment of the present invention may output both the stored datarecovery information signal OUTPUT_PARALLELL_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and thepreamble data PREAMBLE DATA, and may solely output the stored datarecovery information signal OUTPUT_PARALLELL_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG, as theoccasion demands.

The data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG supplied throughthe preselected pad 13 or 146 is a signal that has a predeterminedpattern.

For example, assuming that the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG is an 8-bit signal. The pattern of the data recoveryinformation signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG supplied through the preselectedpad 13 or 146 may be ‘01010101’, ‘00110011’, ‘00001111’, ‘10101010’,‘11001100’, ‘11110000’, ‘10011001’ or ‘01100110’.

Also, in the above descriptions, the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG supplied through the preselected pad 13 or 146 issynchronized with the edge of the source clock SOURCE_CLK.

Accordingly, in the case where the phase of the data recoveryinformation signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG changes in the course of beingtransmitted, the value of the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG easily varies, whereby it is possible to easily checkwhether or not the phase has changed.

For example, assuming that the pattern of the data recovery informationsignal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG is ‘10011001’ when the respective bits of thedata recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG are preciselysynchronized with the edge of the source clock SOURCE_CLK, if the phaseof the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG becomes fasterwhile the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG is beingtransmitted to the preselected pad 13 or 146, the pattern of the datarecovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG stored through thepreselected pad 13 or 146 becomes ‘11001100’, whereby the phase becomesfaster. Conversely, if the phase of the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG becomes slower while the U) data recovery informationsignal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG is being transmitted to the preselected pad 13or 146, the pattern of the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG stored through the preselected pad 13 or 146 becomes‘00110011’, whereby the phase becomes slower.

The above-described semiconductor device in accordance with thisembodiment of the present invention receives the data input/outputcommands READ_CMD/WRITE_CMD and the predetermined command OTHER_CMD incorrespondence with one source clock SOURCE_CLK, inputs and outputs ofthe normal data NORMAL_DATA and the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG.

The above-described method of using only one source clock SOURCE_CLK ismainly adopted in a semiconductor device having a low operating speed.In a semiconductor device having a high operating speed, another methodis mainly adopted in which a system clock iHCK for synchronizing commandsignals including the predetermined command OTHER_CMD and a data clockiWCK, having a frequency two times higher than the system dock iHCK, forsynchronizing the normal data NORMAL_DATA, are simultaneously used.Therefore, this embodiment of the present invention may be applied to asemiconductor device operating at a high speed as described below.

Referring again to FIG. 1, a semiconductor device operating at a highspeed in accordance with this embodiment of the present inventionincludes an internal circuit 10 configured to perform a predeterminedoperation in response to a predetermined command OTHER_CMD, a normaldata input/output section 11 configured to receive and output normaldata NORMAL_DATA that is synchronized with the center of a data clockiWCK, at data input/output times respectively set in synchronism with asystem clock iHCK from the input time of data input/output commandsREAD_CMD/WRITE_CMD, and a data recovery information signal input/outputblock 100 configured to receive a data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG that is synchronized with the edge of the data clockiWCK, at recovery information input time as the same time with the datainput time in response to the predetermined command OTHER_CMD, and thenoutput a saved data recovery information signalOUTPUT_PARALLELL_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG at recovery information output timeafter the passage of a predetermined period of time tWCDRL determined inresponse to the data clock iWCK.

Here, the data input time during the time at which the normal dataNORMAL_DATA is inputted is a time when the system clock iHCK toggles afirst predetermined number of times after the input time of the datainput command WRITE_CMD, and the data output time during a time at whichthe normal data NORMAL_DATA is outputted is a time when the system clockiHCK toggles a second predetermined number of times after the input timeof the data output command READ_CMD.

At this time, the first predetermined number of times is a value that ispreset in a memory register set (MRS) 15 as the value of a write latencysignal WL. Similarly, the second predetermined number of times is avalue that is preset in the memory register set (MRS) 15 as the value ofa column latency signal CL.

Namely, the data input time during the time at which the normal dataNORMAL_DATA is inputted is a time when a time corresponding to “thevalue of the write latency signal WL*the period tck of the system clockiHCK” has elapsed from the input time of the data input commandWRITE_CMD, and the data output time during the time at which the normaldata NORMAL_DATA is outputted is a time when a time corresponding to“the value of the column latency signal CL*the period tck of the systemclock iHCK” has elapsed from the input time of the data output commandREAD_CMD.

Since the time at which the normal data NORMAL_DATA is inputted and thetime at which the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG isinputted are set to be the same, the time at which the data recoveryinformation signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG is inputted corresponds to the timewhen a time corresponding to “the value of the write latency signalWL*the period tck of the system clock iHCK” has elapsed from the inputtime of the predetermined command OTHER_CMD.

For reference, the data recovery information signal input/output block100 receives and outputs the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG, in the case where the semiconductor device enter thedata recovery operating mode. the entry to the data recovery operatingmode indicates that a data recovery operating enable signal WCDR_ENABLEhas been activated. While not directly shown in the drawings, in thefollowing descriptions, a data recovery operating mode will be referredto as WCDR_MODE, and the entry to the data recovery operating mode willbe referred to as WCDR_MODE_ENTRY. The activation time, the inactivationtime, and the length of an activation interval of the data recoveryoperating enable signal WCDR_ENABLE are set in advance in a memoryregister set (MRS) 15.

While the predetermined command OTHER_CMD may include the datainput/output commands READ_CMD/WRITE_CMD, various operating modecommands of a semiconductor device, in a particular example, thepredetermined command OTHER_CMD may be an auto refresh operating modeentry command, which is one of the operating modes in a semiconductordevice that use the most power or a standby operating mode entrycommand, which is one of the operating modes in a semiconductor devicethat use the least power.

The data recovery information signal input/output block 100, which isone of the component elements of the semiconductor device in accordancewith this embodiment of the present invention, includes a recoveryinformation input/output control unit 120 configured to generate aninternal input strobe signal WCDR_STROBE in response to a command of thepredetermined command OTHER_CMD or the system clock iHCK during theactivation interval of the data recovery operating enable signalWCDR_ENABLE and to generate an internal output strobe signalDATAOUT_STROBE in response to the data clock signal iWCK and theinternal input strobe signal WCDR_STROBE, a data recovery informationinput/output unit 140 configured to input/output the data recoveryinformation signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG through a preselected pad 13 or146, and a data recovery information storage unit 160 configured tostore the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG for apredetermined time period tWCDRL in response to the internal inputstrobe signal WCDR_STROBE and the internal output strobe signalDATAOUT_STROBE.

Both the data input/output pad 13 and the WCDR input/output pad 146 maybe used as the preselected pad 13 or 146 since a pad forinputting/outputting the normal data NORMAL_DATA and a pad forinputting/outputting the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG may be shared depending upon a design of asemiconductor device.

In a conventional semiconductor device, pads are divided into a commandinput pad 12 configured to receive the data input/output commandsREAD_CMD/WRITE_CMD and the predetermined command OTHER_CMD, the datainput/output pad 13 configured to input/output the normal dataNORMAL_DATA, and a data recovery information input/output pad 146configured to input/output the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG, such that only the normal data NORMAL_DATA may beinputted/outputted through the data input/output pad 13, and only thedata recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG may beinputted/outputted through the data recovery information input/outputpad 146.

In a semiconductor device in which the total number of pads isinsufficient, therefore being unable to have pads dedicated for theinput/output of the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG,the pads are divided into the command input pad 12 configured to receivethe data input/output commands READ_CMD/WRITE_CMD and the predeterminedcommand OTHER_CMD, and the data input/output pad 13 configured toinput/output the normal data NORMAL_DATA and the data recoveryinformation signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG, such that the normal dataNORMAL_DATA may be inputted/outputted through the data input/output pad13 in a data input/output operating mode READ/WRITE_MODE, and the datarecovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG may be inputted/outputtedthrough the data input/output pad 13 in a data recovery operating modeWCDR_MODE in which the normal data NORMAL_DATA is not directlyinputted/outputted.

Among the component elements of the data recovery information signalinput/output block 100 in accordance with this embodiment of the presentinvention, the recovery information input/output control unit 120includes a recovery information input control section 122 configured togenerate the internal input strobe signal WCDR_STROBE in response to athird number of times that the toggling of the system clock iHCK occursfrom the time at which the predetermined command OTHER_CMD has beeninputted, during the activation interval of the data recovery operatingenable signal WCDR_ENABLE, and a recovery information output controlsection 124 configured to generate the internal output strobe signalDATAOUT_STROBE in response to a fourth number of times that the togglingof the data clock iWCK occurs from the time at which the internal inputstrobe signal WCDR_STROBE toggles, during the activation interval of thedata recovery operating enable signal WCDR_ENABLE.

At this time, the third number of times has a value larger by the burstlength (BL) than the first number of times corresponding to the value ofthe write latency signal WL, and may be set in such a manner that thewrite latency signal WL is supplied to the recovery information inputcounter 1224 which is provided in the recovery information input controlunit 122. The fourth number of times is the value of the data recoveryinformation latency signal WCDRL that is newly set in the memoryregister set (MRS) 15 in accordance with this embodiment of the presentinvention.

That is to say, the time at which the internal input strobe signalWCDR_STROBE is toggled in the recovery information input control unit122 is the time when a time corresponding to “{the value of the writelatency signal WL+the burst length (BL)}*the period tck of the systemclock iHCK” has elapsed from the time at which either a command of thedata input/output commands READ_CMD and WRITE_CMD or the predeterminedcommand OTHER_CMD has been inputted, and the time at which the internaloutput strobe signal DATAOUT_STROBE is toggled in the recoveryinformation output control section 124 is the time when a timecorresponding to “the value of the data recovery information latencysignal WCDRL*the period tck of the data clock iWCK” has elapsed from thetime at which the internal input strobe signal WCDR_STROBE has beentoggled.

Accordingly, the time at which the internal input strobe signalWCDR_STROBE is toggled in the recovery information input control unit122 corresponds to the time that is later, by a time corresponding to“the burst length (BL)*the period tck of the system clock iHCK”, thanthe time at which the normal data NORMAL_DATA and the data recoveryinformation signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG are inputted.

In this regard, the time at which the internal input strobe signalWCDR_STROBE is toggled in the recovery information input control unit122 is later than the time at which the normal data NORMAL_DATA and thedata recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG are inputted becausewhen the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG is amultiple-bit signal, it should be stored in the data recoveryinformation storage unit 160 after all of the bits have been inputted.

Among the component elements of the data recovery informationinput/output block 100, the data recovery information input/output unit140 includes a data recovery information input section 142 configured toserially buffer the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIGserially supplied through the preselected pad 13 or 146 from the inputtime of the recovery information during the activation interval of thedata recovery operating enable signal WCDR_ENABLE and parallelize theresultant signal in synchronism with the data clock iWCK, and a datarecovery information output section 144 configured to output a datarecovery information signal OUTPUT_PARALLEL_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG stored inthe data recovery information storage unit 160 through the preselectedpad 13 or 146 in synchronism with the data clock iWCK.

Among the component elements of the data recovery information signalinput/output block 100 in the semiconductor device in accordance withthis embodiment of the present invention that operates at a high speed,the configuration of the data recovery information storage unit 160 isthe same as that of the semiconductor device in accordance with theaforementioned embodiment of the present invention, and therefore, adetailed description thereof has been omitted.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a semiconductor system includingthe semiconductor device shown in FIG. 1, in accordance with anotherembodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, a semiconductor system includes a semiconductordevice controller 2 configured to compare a data recovery informationsignal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and a feedback data recovery information signalFB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and adjust a phase of the normal data NORMAL_DATAtransferred to the semiconductor device 1 in correspondence with acomparison result of the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG and the feedback data recovery information signalFB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG; and the semiconductor device 1 configured toreceive the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG andtransfer the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG as thefeedback data recovery information signal after a passage of apredetermined time period.

At this time, the normal data NORMAL_DATA transferred from thesemiconductor controller 2 to the semiconductor device 1 is synchronizedwith a center of a source clock SOURCE_CLK, and the data recoveryinformation signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG transferred from the semiconductorcontroller 2 to the semiconductor device 1 is synchronized with an edgeof the source clock SOURCE_CLK.

Furthermore, the normal data NORMAL_DATA is transferred from thesemiconductor device controller 2 to semiconductor device 1 at the sametime of the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG istransferred from the semiconductor device controller 2 to semiconductordevice 1.

The semiconductor system further includes a clock transmission pathconfigured to transfer the source clock SOURCE_CLK and a normal datatransmission path configured to transfer the normal data NORMAL_DATA.The clock transmission path and the normal data transmission path areformed between the semiconductor device 1 and the semiconductor devicecontroller 2.

The data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and the feedbackdata recovery information signal FB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG are transferredthrough a recovery information signal transmission formed between thesemiconductor device 1 and the semiconductor device controller 2.However, data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and thefeedback data recovery information signal FB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG aretransferred through the normal data transmission path in an operatingmode in which the normal data is not transferred through the normal datatransmission path.

Accordingly, when the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIGand the feedback data recovery information signal FB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIGare transferred through the normal data transmission path in theoperating mode in which the normal data NORMAL_DATA is not transferredthrough the normal data NORMAL_DATA transmission path, the semiconductordevice controller 2 includes a data recovery information comparison unit28 configured to compare data values of the data recovery informationsignal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and the feedback data recovery informationsignal FB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and generate a recovery informationcomparison signal COMP_DATA_RECOVERY according to a comparison result ofthe data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and the feedbackdata recovery information signal FB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG, a normal datageneration unit 21 configured to generate the normal data NORMAL_DATA bychanging the phase of the normal data NORMAL_DATA in correspondence withthe recovery information comparison signal COMP_DATA_RECOVERY, a normaldata input/output pad 23 configured to input/output the normal dataNORMAL_DATA, a recovery information signal input/output pad 246configured to input/output the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG and the feedback data recovery information signalFB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and a clock output pad 26 configured to output thesource clock SOURCE_CLK.

Likewise, the semiconductor device 1 includes a normal data input/outputsection 11 configured to input/output the normal data NORMAL_DATA, adata recovery information signal input/output block 100 configured toreceive and store the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIGand output the stored data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIGas the feedback data recovery information signal FB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIGafter a predetermined time period tWCDRL has elapsed, a normal datainput/output pad 13 configured to input/output the normal dataNORMAL_DATA, a recovery information signal input/output pad 146configured to input/output the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG and the feedback data recovery information signalFB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and a clock output pad 16 configured to receive thesource clock SOURCE_CLK.

On the other hand, when the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG and the feedback data recovery information signalFB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG are transferred through the normal datatransmission path in the operating mode in which the normal dataNORMAL_DATA is not transferred through the normal data transmissionpath, the semiconductor device controller 2 includes the data recoveryinformation comparison unit 28 configured to compare data values of thedata recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and the feedback datarecovery information signal FB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and generate a recoveryinformation comparison signal COMP_DATA_RECOVERY according to acomparison result of the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG and the feedback data recovery information signalFB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG, the normal data generation unit 21 configured togenerate the normal data NORMAL_DATA by changing the phase of the normaldata NORMAL_DATA in correspondence with the recovery informationcomparison signal COMP_DATA_RECOVERY, the normal data input/output pad23 configured to input/output the normal data NORMAL_DATA, the datarecovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and the feedback datarecovery information signal FB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG, the recoveryinformation signal input/output pad 246 configured to input/output thedata recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and the feedback datarecovery information signal FB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and the clock outputpad 26 configured to output the source clock SOURCE_CLK.

Likewise, the semiconductor device 1 includes the normal datainput/output section 11 configured to input/output the normal dataNORMAL_DATA, the data recovery information signal input/output block 100configured to receive and store the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG and output the stored data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG as the feedback data recovery information signalFB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG after a predetermined time period tWCDRL haselapsed, the normal data input/output pad 13 configured to input/outputthe normal data NORMAL_DATA, the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG and the feedback data recovery information signalFB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG, the recovery information signal input/output pad146 configured to input/output the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG and the feedback data recovery information signalFB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and the clock output pad 16 configured to receivethe source clock SOURCE_CLK.

The component elements of the semiconductor system including thesemiconductor device in accordance with this embodiment of the presentinvention are minimum component elements that they are possible toinput/output the normal data NORMAL_DATA and the data recoveryinformation signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG. However, the component elements ofthe semiconductor system may further include component elements asdescribed below.

Referring again to FIG. 2, the semiconductor system includes thesemiconductor device controller 2 configured to transfer the datarecovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG to the semiconductordevice 1 in correspondence with a predetermined command OTHER_CMD andtransfer the normal data NORMAL_DATA by changing a phase of the normaldata NORMAL_DATA in response to the feedback data recovery informationsignal FB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG provided from the semiconductor device 1after a passage of a predetermined time period tWCDRL and thesemiconductor device 1 configured to receive the data recoveryinformation signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG in response to the predeterminedcommand OTHER_CMD and transfer the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG as the feedback data recovery information signalFB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG after a passage of a predetermined time periodtWCDRL.

At this time, the predetermined command OTHER_CMD transferred from thesemiconductor device controller 2 to semiconductor device 1 issynchronized with a center of the source clock SOURCE_CLK, the normaldata NORMAL_DATA transferred from the semiconductor device controller 2to semiconductor device 1 is synchronized with the center of the sourceclock SOURCE_CLK, the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIGtransferred from the semiconductor device controller 2 to semiconductordevice 1 is in synchronized with the edge of the source clockSOURCE_CLK.

Furthermore, the predetermined command OTHER_CMD may include an autorefresh operating mode entry command, which is one of operating modesthat uses the most power in a semiconductor device, or a standbyoperating mode entry command, which is one of the operating modes thatuse the least power in a semiconductor device.

Furthermore, the normal data NORMAL_DATA is transferred from thesemiconductor device controller 2 to semiconductor device 1 in responseto the data input command WEITE_CMD at the same time of the datarecovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG is transferred from thesemiconductor device controller 2 to semiconductor device 1 in responseto the data input command WEITE_CMD.

The semiconductor system further includes a clock transmission pathconfigured to transfer the source clock SOURCE_CLK, a commandtransmission path configured to transfer the predetermined commandOTHER_CMD and a normal data transmission path configured to transfer thenormal data NORMAL_DATA. The clock transmission path, the commandtransmission path and the normal data transmission path are formedbetween the semiconductor device 1 and the semiconductor devicecontroller 2.

The data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and the feedbackdata recovery information signal FB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG are transferredbetween the semiconductor device controller 2 and the semiconductordevice 1 in response to the predetermined command OTHER_CMD. Herein, thedata recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and the feedback datarecovery information signal FB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG are transferred througha recovery information signal transmission formed between thesemiconductor device 1 and the semiconductor device controller 2 inresponse to the predetermined command OTHER_CMD. However, the datarecovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and the feedback datarecovery information signal FB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG are transferred throughthe normal data transmission path in the operating mode in which thenormal data is not transferred through the normal data transmissionpath.

Accordingly, when the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIGand the feedback data recovery information signal FB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIGare transferred through the recovery information signal transmissionpath, the semiconductor device controller 2 includes a data recoveryinformation comparison unit 28 configured to compare data values of thedata recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and the feedback datarecovery information signal FB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and generate a recoveryinformation comparison signal COMP_DATA_RECOVERY according to thecomparison result of the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG and the feedback data recovery information signalFB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG, a normal data generation unit 21 configured togenerate the normal data NORMAL_DATA by changing the phase of the normaldata NORMAL_DATA in correspondence with the recovery informationcomparison signal COMP_DATA_RECOVERY in accordance with thepredetermined command OTHER_CMD, a normal data input/output pad 23configured to input/output the normal data NORMAL_DATA, a command outputpad 22 configured to output the predetermined command OTHER_CMD and arecovery information signal input/output pad 246 configured toinput/output the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG andthe feedback data recovery information signal FB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and aclock output pad 26 configured to output the source clock SOURCE_CLK.

Likewise, the semiconductor device 1 includes a normal data input/outputsection 11 configured to input/output the normal data NORMAL_DATA inresponse to the data input/output commands READ_CMD/WRITE_CMD, a datarecovery information signal input/output block 100 configured to receiveand store the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG andoutput the stored data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG asthe feedback data recovery information signal FB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG inresponse to the predetermined command OTHER_CMD after a predeterminedtime period tWCDRL has elapsed, a normal data input/output pad 13configured to input/output the normal data NORMAL_DATA, a recoveryinformation signal input/output pad 146 configured to input/output thedata recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and the feedback datarecovery information signal FB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and a clock output pad16 configured to receive the source clock SOURCE_CLK.

On the other hand, when the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG and the feedback data recovery information signalFB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG are transferred through the normal datatransmission path in the operating mode in which the normal dataNORMAL_DATA is not transferred through the normal data transmissionpath, the semiconductor device controller 2 includes the data recoveryinformation comparison unit 28 configured to compare data values of thedata recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and the feedback datarecovery information signal FB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and generate a recoveryinformation comparison signal COMP_DATA_RECOVERY according to acomparison result of the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG and the feedback data recovery information signalFB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG, the normal data generation unit 21 configured togenerate the normal data NORMAL_DATA by changing the phase of the normaldata NORMAL_DATA in correspondence with the predetermined commandOTHER_CMD, the normal data input/output pad 23 configured toinput/output the normal data NORMAL_DATA, the data recovery informationsignal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and the feedback data recovery informationsignal FB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and the clock output pad 26 configured tooutput the source clock SOURCE_CLK.

Likewise, the semiconductor device 1 includes a normal data input/outputsection 11 configured to input/output the normal data NORMAL_DATA inresponse to the data input/output commands READ_CMD/WRITE_CMD, a datarecovery information signal input/output block 100 configured to receiveand store the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG inresponse to the predetermined command OTHER_CMD and output the storeddata recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG as the feedback datarecovery information signal FB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG after a predeterminedtime period tWCDRL has elapsed, a normal data input/output pad 13configured to input/output the normal data NORMAL_DATA and a clockoutput pad 16 configured to receive the source clock SOURCE_CLK.

The above-described component elements of the semiconductor systemincluding the semiconductor device in FIG. 1 of using only one sourceclock SOURCE_CLK is mainly adopted in a semiconductor device having alow operating speed. In a semiconductor device having a high operatingspeed. The latest semiconductor system is mainly adopted in which asystem clock iHCK for synchronizing command signals including thepredetermined command OTHER_CMD and a data clock iWCK, having afrequency two times higher than the system clock iHCK, for synchronizingthe normal data NORMAL_DATA, are simultaneously used. The semiconductordevice having a high operating speed in accordance with theaforementioned embodiment of the present invention, and therefore, adetailed description thereof has been omitted.

Referring to FIG. 2, a method for operating a semiconductor systemhaving a semiconductor device 1 and a semiconductor device controller 2in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention includestransferring a data input command WRITE_CMD from the semiconductordevice controller 2 to the semiconductor device 1, and transferring anormal data NORMAL_DATA that is synchronized with the center of a sourceclock SOURCE_CLK and changes in the phase thereof in correspondence to afeedback data recovery information signal FB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG, afterthe passage of a first predetermined in time period, transferring apredetermined command OTHER_CMD from the semiconductor device controller2 to the semiconductor device 1, transferring a data recoveryinformation signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG that is synchronized with the edgeof the source clock SOURCE_CLK, after the passage of the firstpredetermined time period, and storing the data recovery informationsignal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG in the semiconductor device 1, and transferringthe stored data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG as afeedback data recovery information signal FB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG from thesemiconductor device 1 to the semiconductor device controller 2 when asecond predetermined time period has elapsed after the data recoveryinformation signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG has been stored in thesemiconductor device 1.

At this time, the first time needed until the normal data NORMAL_DATAare transferred after a command of the data input/output commandsREAD_CMD/WRITE_CMD has been transferred, and the first time needed untilthe data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG after thepredetermined command OTHER_CMD has been transferred are determined insynchronism with the source clock SOURCE_CLK.

Similarly, after the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIGhas been transferred to and stored in the semiconductor device 1, thesecond time needed until the stored data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG is transferred to the semiconductor device controller2 is determined in synchronism with the source clock SOURCE_CLK. Whilethe predetermined command OTHER_CMD may include various operating modecommands of a semiconductor device as well as the data input/outputcommands READ_CMD/WRITE_CMD, in a particular example, the predeterminedcommand OTHER_CMD may include an auto refresh operating mode entrycommand, which is one of operating modes that uses the most power in asemiconductor device, or a standby operating mode entry command, whichis one of the operating modes that use the least power in asemiconductor device. While the predetermined command OTHER_CMD mayinclude various operating mode commands of a semiconductor device. Inthe semiconductor system having the semiconductor device 1 and thesemiconductor device controller 2 in accordance with another embodimentof the present invention, the transferring of the normal dataNORMAL_DATA may include transferring the data input command WRITE_CMDfrom the semiconductor device controller 2 to a command input pad 12which is provided in the semiconductor device 1, and transferring thenormal data NORMAL_DATA from the semiconductor device controller 2 to anormal data input/output pad 13 which is provided in the semiconductordevice 1.

With the normal data input/output pad 13 for transferring the normaldata NORMAL_DATA provided as described above, the transferring andstoring of the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG in thesemiconductor system having the semiconductor device 1 and thesemiconductor device controller 2 in accordance with another embodimentof the present invention may be divided as described below dependingupon which command is inputted from the semiconductor device controller2 to the command input pad 12 provided in the semiconductor device 1 andupon whether or not a dedicated pad 16 for inputting/outputting the datarecovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG is present.

First, as shown in the drawings, in the case where the dedicated pad 16for inputting/outputting the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG is present, the transferring and storing of the datarecovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG may include transferringthe predetermined command OTHER_CMD from the semiconductor devicecontroller 2 to the command input pad 12 provided in the semiconductordevice 1, transferring the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG from the semiconductor device controller 2 to the datarecovery information signal input/output pad 16 provided in thesemiconductor device 1, and storing the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG supplied through the data recovery information signalinput/output pad 16 in a register of the semiconductor device 1 which isnot directly shown in the drawings but is provided in a recoveryinformation signal input/output block 100. In other words, with thededicated pad 16 for inputting/outputting the data recovery informationsignal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG being present as shown in the drawings, thenormal data NORMAL_DATA may be inputted/outputted through the normaldata input/output pad 13, and the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG may be inputted/outputted through the data recoveryinformation signal input/output pad 16, irrespective of which command isinputted to the command input pad 12 provided in the semiconductordevice 1.

Furthermore, unlike the arrangement shown in the drawings, in the casewhere the dedicated pad 16 for inputting/outputting the data recoveryinformation signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG is absent, the transferring andstoring of the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG mayinclude transferring the predetermined command OTHER_CMD from thesemiconductor device controller 2 to the command input pad 12 providedin the semiconductor device 1, transferring the data input/outputcommands READ_CMD/WRITE_CMD from the semiconductor device controller 2to the data input pad 13 provided in the semiconductor device 1,transferring the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG fromthe semiconductor device controller 2 to the normal data input/outputpad 13 provided in the semiconductor device 1 when the predeterminedcommand OTHER_CMD is transferred to the command input pad 12 provided inthe semiconductor device 1, storing the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG supplied through the normal data input/output pad 13in a register provided in the semiconductor device 1 when thepredetermined command OTHER_CMD is transferred to the command input pad12 provided in the semiconductor device 1, and not transferring the datarecovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG from the semiconductordevice controller 2 to the semiconductor device 1 when the datainput/output commands READ_CMD/WRITE_CMD are transferred to the datainput/output pads 13 provided in the semiconductor device 1. That is tosay, with the dedicated pad 16 for inputting/outputting the datarecovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG being absent, unlike thearrangement shown in the drawings, the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG may or may not be transferred depending upon thecommand supplied to the command input pad 12 provided in thesemiconductor device 1.

Both the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG transferredfrom the semiconductor device controller 2 to the semiconductor device 1and the feedback data recovery information signal FB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIGtransferred from the semiconductor device 1 to the semiconductor devicecontroller 2 have been described as being signals that havepredetermined patterns.

For example, assuming that the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG and the feedback data recovery information signalFB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG are 8-bit signals, the pattern of the signals maybe ‘01010101’, ‘00110011’, ‘00001111’, ‘10101010’, ‘11001100’,‘11110000’, ‘10011001’, or ‘01100110’.

Also, both the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIGtransferred from the semiconductor device controller 2 to thesemiconductor device 1 and the feedback data recovery information signalFB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG transferred from the semiconductor device 1 to thesemiconductor device controller 2 have been described as signals thatare synchronized with the edge of the source clock SOURCE_CLK.

Therefore, in the case where the phase of the data recovery informationsignal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG changes while being transmitted, as the valueof the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG easily varies,the value of the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG andthe value of the feedback data recovery information signalFB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG become different from each other.

For example, assuming that the pattern of the data recovery informationsignal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG is ‘10011001’ when respective bits of the datarecovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG are precisely synchronizedwith the edges of the source dock SOURCE_CLK, when the phase of the datarecovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG becomes faster in thecourse of being transmitted from the semiconductor device controller 2to the semiconductor device 1, the pattern of the feedback data recoveryinformation signal FB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG transmitted from thesemiconductor device 1 to the semiconductor device controller 2 becomes‘11001100’. Thus, comparing the values of the data recovery informationsignal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and the feedback data recovery informationsignal FB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG in the semiconductor device controller 2,the phase becomes faster when the data is transmitted from thesemiconductor device controller 2 to the semiconductor device 1.

Conversely, when the phase of the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG becomes slower in the course of being transmitted fromthe semiconductor device controller 2 to the semiconductor device 1, thepattern of the feedback data recovery information signalFB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG transmitted from the semiconductor device 1 to thesemiconductor device controller 2 becomes ‘00110011’. Thus, comparingthe values of the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG andthe feedback data recovery information signal FB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG inthe semiconductor device controller 2, the phase becomes slower when thedata is transmitted from the semiconductor device controller 2 to thesemiconductor device 1.

Moreover, in the semiconductor device controller 2 in accordance withthis embodiment of the present invention, the phase of the normal dataNORMAL_DATA is changed according to a result of comparing the value ofthe feedback data recovery information signal FB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIGapplied from the semiconductor device 1 and the value of the datarecovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG. For example, if aphenomenon occurs in which the phase becomes faster when data istransmitted from the semiconductor device controller 2 to thesemiconductor device 1, a result COMP_DATA_RECOVERY of comparisonbetween the value of the feedback data recovery information signalFB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and the value of the data recovery informationsignal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG becomes a logic ‘high’, and thus, the phase ofthe normal data NORMAL_DATA transferred from the semiconductor devicecontroller 2 to the semiconductor device 1 may be changed to be slowerthan a previous time with respect to the center of the source clockSOURCE_CLK. Conversely, if a phenomenon occurs in which the phasebecomes slower when data is transmitted from the semiconductor devicecontroller 2 to the semiconductor device 1, the resultCOMP_DATA_RECOVERY of comparison between the value of the feedback datarecovery information signal FB_DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and the value of thedata recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG becomes a logic‘low’, and thus, the phase of the normal data NORMAL_DATA transferredfrom the semiconductor device controller 2 to the semiconductor device 1may be changed to be faster than a previous time with respect to thecenter of the source clock SOURCE_CLK.

FIG. 3 is a time diagram of the semiconductor device forinputting/outputting a data recovery information signal in a data writeoperating mode in accordance with the embodiment of the presentinvention, shown in FIG. 1.

For reference, it is to be noted that the time diagram shown in FIG. 3is a view depicted on the assumption that a system clock iHCK and a dataclock iWCK are simultaneously used in a semiconductor device. That is tosay, the time diagram shown in FIG. 3 represents a time diagram that maybe obtained when an embodiment of the present invention is applied to asemiconductor device which operates at a high speed.

Referring to FIG. 3, the data input command WRITE_CMD is inputted attime T0 of the system clock iHCK, and, in response to that, the commanddecoder 1222 of the recovery information input control section 122provided in the recovery information input/output control unit 120,which is among the component elements of the data recovery informationsignal input/output block 100, starts to operate. Also, the number oftoggling times of the system clock iHCK in correspondence to the valueof the write latency signal WL is counted from the time T0 of the systemclock iHCK.

Thereafter, the operation of the command decoder 1222 ends at time T1 ofthe system clock iHCK, and the data recovery operating command WCDR_CMDstarts to toggle. At the same time, the recovery information inputcounter 1224 of the recovery information input control section 122provided in the recovery input/output control unit 120, which is amongthe component elements of the data recovery information signalinput/output block 100, starts to count the number of toggling times ofthe system clock iHCK.

Further, since the value of the write latency signal WL is assumed to be‘3’, the normal data NORMAL_DATA and the data recovery informationsignal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG are simultaneously inputted at time T3 of thesystem clock iHCK. However, because the normal data NORMAL_DATA and thedata recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG are signals eachcomposed of 8 bits, they are not inputted at once at the time T3 of thesystem clock iHCK, but are serially inputted from the time T3 of thesystem clock iHCK to time T5 of the system clock iHCK.

At time T4 of the system clock iHCK amid the input of the respectivenormal data NORMAL_DATA and data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG, the recovery information input counter 1224 countsthe number of all toggling times of the system clock iHCK incorrespondence with ‘3’ as the value of the write latency signal WL.Nevertheless, since the internal input strobe signal WCDR_STROBE istoggled after counting an additional number of toggling times that isdetermined in correspondence with the burst lengths of the normal dataNORMAL_DATA and the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIGas set in advance in the recovery information input counter 1224, theinternal input strobe signal WCDR_STROBE is not toggled at the time T4of the system clock iHCK. Instead, the internal input strobe signalWCDR_STROBE is toggled at the time T5 of the system clock iHCK as timeat which all of the bits of the normal data NORMAL_DATA and the datarecovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG are inputted.

If the time T5 of the system clock iHCK is reached through theabove-described procedure, the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG that has been serially inputted and has beenparallelized is stored as is in the parallelized state, in the inputstorage section 162 of the data recovery information storage unit 160,which is among the component elements of the data recovery informationsignal input/output block 100, in response to the toggling of theinternal input strobe signal WCDR_STROBE. Also, the operation ofcounting the data clock iWCK in the recovery information output controlsection 124 is started in response to the toggling of the internal inputstrobe signal WCDR_STROBE.

For reference, the normal data NORMAL_DATA that is entirely inputted atthe time T5 of the system clock iHCK is transferred to a core region 14and performs a preset operation.

In the drawings, since the value of the recovery information signalWCDRL is ‘4’, the recovery information output control section 124 countsfour toggling times of the data clock iWCK from the time T5 of thesystem clock iHCK as time at which the internal input strobe signalWCDR_STROBE toggles, and thereafter, toggles the internal output strobesignal DATAOUT_STROBE at time T7 of the system clock iHCK.

In this way, while the internal output strobe signal DATAOUT_STROBEstarts to toggle at the time of T7 of the system clock iHCK, since atime to operate required for the recovery information output section 144provided in the data recovery information input/output unit 140, whichis among the component elements of the data recovery information signalinput/output block 100, that is, the time at which the preamble dataPREAMBLE DATA is actually outputted, is time T8 of the system clockiHCK.

Following the time T8 of the system clock iHCK at which the preambledata PREAMBLE DATA starts to be outputted, the data recovery informationsignal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG is consecutively outputted from time T9 of thesystem clock iHCK to time T11 of the system clock iHCK.

As aforementioned above, the semiconductor device in accordance withthis embodiment of the present invention receives the data recoveryinformation signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG from the semiconductor devicecontroller at the same time as the normal data NORMAL_DATA thatcorresponds to the time T3 of the system clock iHCK, stores the datarecovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG at the time T5 of thesystem clock iHCK, and then transmits the data recovery informationsignal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG back to the semiconductor device controller atpredetermined time that corresponds to the time T8 of the system clockiHCK.

Through these operations, the semiconductor device controller can be fedback with and can analyze the value of the data recovery informationsignal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG that is transmitted under the samecircumstances in which the normal data NORMAL_DATA is transmitted fromthe semiconductor device controller to the semiconductor device, and theresult of the analysis can be reflected on the phase of the normal dataNORMAL_DATA to be subsequently transmitted from the semiconductor devicecontroller to the semiconductor device, whereby the stability of thenormal data NORMAL_DATA can be always ensured.

FIG. 4 is a time diagram of the semiconductor device forinputting/outputting a data recovery information signal in either a dataread operating mode or a predetermined internal operating mode inaccordance with the embodiment of the present invention, shown in FIG.1.

For reference, it is to be noted that the time diagram shown in FIG. 4is a view depicted on the assumption that a system clock iHCK and a dataclock iWCK are simultaneously used in a semiconductor device. That is tosay, the time diagram shown in FIG. 4 represents a time diagram that maybe obtained when an embodiment of the present invention is applied to asemiconductor device which operates at a high speed.

Referring to FIG. 4, the data output command READ_CMD is inputted attime T0 of the system clock iHCK, and, in response thereto, the commanddecoder 1222 of the recovery information input control section 122provided in the recovery information input/output control unit 120,which is among the component elements of the data recovery informationsignal input/output block 100, starts to operate. Also, the number oftoggling times of the system clock iHCK in correspondence with the valueof the column latency signal CL is counted from the time T0 of thesystem clock iHCK.

Thereafter, the operation of the command decoder 1222 ends at time T1 ofthe system clock iHCK, and the data recovery operating command WCDR_CMDstarts to toggle. At the same time, the recovery information inputcounter 1224 of the recovery information input control section 122provided in the recovery input/output control unit 120, which is amongthe component elements of the data recovery information signalinput/output block 100, starts to count the number of toggling times ofthe system clock iHCK.

Further, since the value of the write latency signal WL is assumed to be‘3’, the data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG is inputtedat time T3 of the system clock iHCK. However, because the data recoveryinformation signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG is a signal composed of 8 bits, itis not inputted at once at the time T3 of the system clock iHCK, but isserially inputted from the time T3 of the system clock iHCK to time T5of the system clock iHCK.

For reference, because the value of the column latency signal CL isassumed to be ‘9’, an operation for receiving or outputting the normaldata NORMAL_DATA is not performed until time T9 of the system clockiHCK, irrespective of the fact that the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG is inputted at the time T3 of the system clock iHCK incorrespondence with the value of the write latency signal WL.

At time T4 of the system clock iHCK amid the input of the data recoveryinformation signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG, the recovery information inputcounter 1224 counts the number of all toggling times of the system clockiHCK in correspondence with ‘3’ as the value of the write latency signalWL. Nevertheless, since the internal input strobe signal WCDR_STROBE istoggled after counting an additional number of toggling times that isdetermined in correspondence with the burst length of the data recoveryinformation signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG as set in advance in the recoveryinformation input counter 1224, the internal input strobe signalWCDR_STROBE is not toggled at the time T4 of the system clock iHCK.Instead, the internal input strobe signal WCDR_STROBE is toggled at thetime T5 of the system clock iHCK as time at which all of the bits of thenormal data NORMAL_DATA and the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG are inputted.

If the time T5 of the system clock iHCK is reached through theabove-described procedure, the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG, that has been serially inputted and has beenparallelized, is stored as is in the parallelized state, in the inputstorage section 162 of the data recovery information storage unit 160,which is among the component elements of the data recovery informationsignal input/output block 100, in response to the toggling of theinternal input strobe signal WCDR_STROBE. Also, the operation ofcounting the data clock iWCK in the recovery information output controlsection 124 is started in response to the toggling of the internal inputstrobe signal WCDR_STROBE.

In the drawings, since the value of the recovery information signalWCDRL is ‘4’, the recovery information output control section 124 countsfour toggling times of the data clock iWCK from the time T5 of thesystem clock iHCK as time at which the internal input strobe signalWCDR_STROBE toggles, and thereafter, toggles the internal output strobesignal DATAOUT_STROBE at time T7 of the system clock iHCK.

In this way, while the internal output strobe signal DATAOUT_STROBEstarts to toggle at the time of T7 of the system clock iHCK, since atime to operate required for the recovery information output section 144provided in the data recovery information input/output unit 140, whichis among the component elements of the data recovery information signalinput/output block 100, that is, the time at which the preamble dataPREAMBLE DATA is actually outputted, is time T8 of the system clockiHCK.

Following the time T8 of the system clock iHCK at which the preambledata PREAMBLE DATA starts to be outputted, the data recovery informationsignal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG is consecutively outputted from time T9 of thesystem clock iHCK to time T11 of the system clock iHCK.

For reference, since the value of the column latency signal CL is 9 andthe normal data NORMAL_DATA is outputted from T9 to T11 of the systemclock iHCK, it was illustrated in the drawings that the output time ofthe data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG and the outputtime of the normal data NORMAL_DATA correspond to each other. However,this is merely an operation resulting from an accidental match ofvarious values. That is to say, in the present invention, thedetermination of the output time of the normal data NORMAL_DATA incorrespondence with the data output command READ_CMD and thedetermination of the output time of the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG have no relationship to each other.

Illustrated in the drawings is the operation for receiving/outputtingthe data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG in correspondencewith the data output command READ_CMD when the data output commandREAD_CMD is applied.

However, when the predetermined command OTHER_CMD is supplied instead ofthe data output command READ_CMD, the operation for receiving/outputtingthe data recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG in correspondencethereto also corresponds entirely to that shown in the drawings. Inother words, in the drawings, the operation of receiving/outputting thedata recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG excluding the outputof the normal data NORMAL_DATA in correspondence with the data outputcommand READ_CMD corresponds entirely in both cases.

As aforementioned above, the semiconductor device in accordance withthis embodiment of the present invention receives the data recoveryinformation signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG from the semiconductor devicecontroller at the time, corresponding to the time T3 of the system clockiHCK, at which the normal data NORMAL_DATA is inputted in correspondencewith the data input command WRITE_CMD irrespective of the kind of acommand signal supplied to the semiconductor device, stores the inputteddata recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG at the time T5 of thesystem click iHCK, and then transmits the data recovery informationsignal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG back to the semiconductor device controller ata predetermined time that corresponds to the time T8 of the system clockiHCK.

Through these operations, even when the normal data NORMAL_DATA has notbeen transmitted from the semiconductor device controller to thesemiconductor device, the data recovery information signalDATA_RECOVERY_SIG may be transmitted in advance and the semiconductordevice controller may be fed back with and may analyze the value of thedata recovery information signal DATA_RECOVERY_SIG, and the result ofthe analysis can be reflected in the phase of the normal dataNORMAL_DATA to be subsequently transmitted from the semiconductor devicecontroller to the semiconductor device, whereby the stability of thenormal data NORMAL_DATA can be always ensured.

As is apparent from the above description, in an embodiment of thepresent invention, when data is inputted/outputted between asemiconductor device controller and a semiconductor device, if the phaseof data changes due to the occurrence of a phenomenon in which anoperating temperature or operating power of a semiconductor systemvaries, the change is detected and compensated for using pattern signalsinputted/outputted between the semiconductor device controller and thesemiconductor device at the same time with the data, whereby the datamay always be stably inputted/outputted between the semiconductor devicecontroller and the semiconductor device.

While the present invention has been described with respect to thespecific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the artthat various changes and modifications may be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by thefollowing claims.

For example, the predetermined command OTHER_CMD described above mayinclude any command as long as it controls the operation of asemiconductor device, in addition to the aforementioned auto refreshoperating mode entry command or standby operating mode entry command.

1-10. (canceled)
 11. A semiconductor system including a semiconductordevice and a semiconductor device controller, for transferring andreceiving a normal data each other, comprising: the semiconductor devicecontroller configured to compare a data recovery information signal anda feedback data recovery information signal and adjust a phase of thenormal data transferred to the semiconductor device in correspondencewith a comparison result of the data recovery information signal and thefeedback data recovery information signal; and the semiconductor deviceconfigured to receive the data recovery information signal and transferthe data recovery information signal as the feedback data recoveryinformation signal after a passage of a predetermined time period. 12.The semiconductor system of claim 11, wherein the normal datatransferred from the semiconductor system to the semiconductor device issynchronized with a center of a source clock, and the data recoveryinformation signal is synchronized with an edge of the source clock. 13.The semiconductor system of claim 11, wherein the semiconductor devicecontroller includes: a data recovery information comparison unitconfigured to compare values of the data recovery information signalwith the feedback data recovery information signal and generate arecovery information comparison signal in correspondence with thecomparison result; and a normal data generation unit configured togenerate the normal data by changing the phase of the normal data incorrespondence with the recovery information comparison signal.
 14. Thesemiconductor system of claim 13, wherein the semiconductor deviceincludes: a normal data input/output section configured to input/outputthe normal data; and a data recovery information signal input/outputblock configured to receive and store the data recovery informationsignal and output the data recovery information signal as the feedbackdata recovery information signal after a predetermined time period haselapsed.
 15. The semiconductor system of claim 14, further comprising: aclock transmission path configured to transfer the source clock disposedbetween the semiconductor device and the semiconductor devicecontroller.
 16. The semiconductor system of claim 15, furthercomprising: a normal data transmission path configured to transfer thenormal data disposed between the semiconductor device and thesemiconductor device controller.
 17. The semiconductor system of claim16, further comprising: a recovery information signal transmission pathconfigured to transfer the recovery information signal and feedback datarecovery information signal between the semiconductor device and thesemiconductor device controller.
 18. The semiconductor system of claim16, wherein the data recovery information signal and the feedback datarecovery information signal are transferred through the normal datatransmission path in an operating mode in which the normal data is nottransferred through the normal data transmission path.
 19. Thesemiconductor system of claim 11, wherein the normal data and the datarecovery information signal are transferred from the semiconductordevice controller to semiconductor device at the same time.
 20. Asemiconductor system including a semiconductor device and asemiconductor device controller for transferring and receiving a normaldata each other, comprising: the semiconductor device controllerconfigured to transfer a data recovery information signal to thesemiconductor device in correspondence with a predetermined command andadjust a phase of the normal data in response to a feedback datarecovery information signal provided from the semiconductor device aftera passage of a predetermined time period; and the semiconductor deviceconfigured to receive the data recovery information signal in responseto the predetermined command and transfer the data recovery informationsignal as the feedback data recovery information signal after a passageof a predetermined time period.
 21. The semiconductor system of claim20, wherein the predetermined command transferred from the semiconductordevice controller to semiconductor device is synchronized with a centerof a source clock, the normal data is in synchronized with a center of asource clock, the data recovery information signal is in synchronizedwith an edge of a source clock.
 22. The semiconductor system of claim21, wherein the predetermined command includes data input/outputcommands.
 23. The semiconductor system of claim 22, wherein thesemiconductor device controller, includes: a command generation sectionconfigured to generate the predetermined command; a data recoveryinformation comparison unit configured to compare values of the datarecovery information signal and the feedback data recovery informationsignal and generate a recovery information comparison signal the resultof comparing the data recovery inform in correspondence with datarecovery information signal and the feedback data recovery informationsignal; and a normal data generation unit configured to generate thenormal data in correspondence with the data input command by changingthe phase the normal data in correspondence with the recoveryinformation comparison signal.
 24. The semiconductor system of claim 23,wherein the semiconductor device, includes: a normal data input/outputsection configured to input/output the normal data in response to thedata input/output commands; and a data recovery information signalinput/output block configured to receive and store the data recoveryinformation signal in response to the predetermined command and outputthe data recovery information signal as the feedback data recoveryinformation signal after a predetermined time period has elapsed. 25.The semiconductor system of claim 24, wherein the data recoveryinformation signal and the feedback data recovery information signal aretransferred through a normal data transmission path in correspondencewith commands of all but the data input/output commands among thepredetermined command.
 26. The semiconductor system of claim 20, whereinthe normal data is transferred in correspondence with the data inputcommand from the semiconductor device controller to semiconductor deviceat the same time of that the data recovery information signal istransferred in correspondence with the predetermined command from thesemiconductor device controller to semiconductor device.
 27. Thesemiconductor system of claim 21, wherein the source clock includes: asystem clock for synchronizing the predetermined commands; and a dataclock for synchronizing the data recovery information signal and thenormal data.